2019 Flash Fiction Fun Weekend

An Opportunity To Turbocharge Your Writing

Graeme Simsion is a former IT consultant and business owner who decided at the age of fifty to become a screenwriter. After five years of study, ten short films and a couple of plays, he had a feature-film screenplay with no takers, which he decided to re-write as a novel. The Rosie Project and its sequel, The Rosie Effect, went on to sell five million copies with translations in over forty languages. The Best of Adam Sharp and Two Steps Forward (the latter written with Anne Buist) were also international bestsellers. His latest novel is The Rosie Result.

Bettina Arndt trained as a clinical psychologist before becoming well-known as one of Australia’s first sex therapists. She then had a long career as a social commentator on gender issues, appearing regularly on television and radio and writing for major publications. Bettina is now attracting big audiences for her YouTube videos attacking feminism for abandoning the quest for equality to endlessly advantage women ahead of men. Her new book, #MenToo, presents collected wisdom from decades of Bettina’s writing about men’s issues. In a culture dominated by women’s wants and needs, it tells the other side of the story.

Marion Halligan has published more than twenty books: some eleven novels – many you have probably heard of. She has been short-listed for most of the prizes on offer, and has won. She has regularly reviewed books, and likes to write essays. She has received an AM for her services to literature. Valley of Grace, Allen & Unwin, March 2009 won the ACT Book of the Year and was long-listed for the IMPAC Prize.

Karen Viggers is a wildlife veterinarian who has worked with native animals in many remote parts of Australia, from the Kimberley to Antarctica. She is the award-winning, internationally best-selling author of four novels The Stranding, The Lightkeeper’s Wife, The Grass Castle, and The Orchardists’s Daughter. Her work has been translated into several languages. In 2016, The Lightkeeper’s Wife/La Memoire des embruns was awarded the Les Petitis Mots des Libraires literary prize, and was short-listed for the Livre de poche Reader’s Choice award in France.

Anne Buist is a Professor of Women’s Mental Health, who has turned her forensic psychiatric skill to writing fiction; she is author of three novels in the Natalie King, forensic psychiatrist, series and a new stand-alone rural thriller out in 2020, as well as co-author with husband Graeme Simsion, of midlife renewal Rom-Com, Two Steps Forward.

Jack Heath is the best-selling author of more than 20 thrillers for adults and children including Hunter, Hangman, 300 Minutes of Danger and the Liars series. His novels have been translated into several languages, shortlisted for awards, adapted for film and optioned for TV. According to Jeffery Deaver, Jack has a “boundless imagination and a singular voice.” He lives in Canberra. For more, visit jackheath.com.au.

You’ll find Susanne planting 3000 mangroves in Kiribati; in Istanbul sharing her I Am Jack books and NO Bullying; in remote indigenous communities sharing story with elders and children; invited to speak at World Burn Conference in New York on her novel Butterflies; in Goa at the Indian Association for the Study of Australia Conference about the Indian-Australian anthologies which feature her short stories along with David Malouf and Sir Salman Rushdie. Awarded the Lifetime Social Justice Literature Award by the International Literacy Association, a nominee for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award with an Order of Australia, Susanne Gervay is recognized for her award winning short stories and youth literature. www.sgervay.com

Craig Cormick is an award-winning Canberra author and science communicator. He has published over 30 books of fiction, non-fiction and children’s fiction, with both small and mainstream publishers, in Australia and overseas. Much of his work deals with reinterpretations of history.

His writing awards include a Queensland Premier’s Award, ACT Book of the Year Award, the Tasmania Writers Prize and a Victorian Community History Award. Craig is a former chair of the ACT Writers Centre and has taught creative writing at University and in schools, and is a great believer that good writing comes from good editing drafting rewriting.

“This remarkable singer-songwriter – who reveals influences that range from Paul Kelly via Lou Reed to Loudon Wainwright III to Leonard Cohen – keeps releasing amazingly accomplished albums.” (Bruce Elder, SMH). Fred Smith blends tunes you can whistle with stories you will remember. His songs are subtle, wry and perceptive. His remarkable hybrid career is the subject of an Australian Story documentary.

His memoir, the Dust of Uruzgan, was recently published by Allen and Unwin. His performances will have you laughing, thinking and feeling. An experienced performer and raconteur with a deep catalogue of quality songs, Fred seldom repeats a song from set to set at a festival. He offers a range of themed concerts and presentations that bring to life the human complexities of the countries he has worked in: Afghanistan, PNG, USA and now Australia.

Irma Gold is an award-winning author and editor. Her short fiction has been widely published in Australia’s finest literary journals, including Meanjin, Westerly, Island and Review of Australian Fiction. Her short fiction collection, Two Steps Forward, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards, and her debut novel manuscript won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship, and development grants from artsACT and CAPO. She is also the author of three children’s books, with a fourth due out with Walker Books. Irma has worked as an editor for almost 20 years and is Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. Visit her at https://irmagold.com

Gabrielle has shared her poetry at local, national and international events for over 20 years. Her first collection of poetry “Spoken Medicine” (2017) was published by Ginninderra Press. Gabrielle is inspired by creative communities which celebrate diversity, activism and inclusion.

As a writer, publisher, editor, bookseller and teacher, Suzanne has over 20 years of experience in all facets of the publishing industry. As a book coach she’s works with talented Australian writers to teach them how to self-publish and make a passive income online. She runs writing courses/workshops/literary events and her greatest claim to fame is that she can recognise writing talent in others.

David’s poetry has been published in several issues of the Hippocampus Press Magazine, Spectral Realms, edited by S.T. Joshi. The Anno KlarkAsh-Ton Anthology by Rainfall Books, and their magazines: Strange Sorcery and Creepy Nightmares.

For her work, inspiring hope in the lives of Australians, Rachael was an ACT Finalist for the 2017 Young Australian of the Year Award. In 2016 she won the ACT Young Woman of the Year Award. Rachael’s spoken word poetry has also been incredibly impactful with online audiences and in advocating for better treatment of those suffering with mental illness.

Jenny Morris has always enjoyed reading and writing poetry and rhyme, but even more so now, as she has grandchildren to delight. Her first book, The Thing on Mount Spring won the International Rubery Book Award in the Illustrated Children’s category in 2018.

After graduating with an English Literature degree from Adelaide University, he has pursued a number of paths, including farming, managing a radio station, working in tourism, and most recently, an extended spell in the public service in Canberra. Now retired, he is dedicating his time to a life-long interest in creative writing, and, in particular, to writing historical Australian fiction.